European fashion retailers continue to deploy RFID

The RFID rollout is part of Miroglio’s Retail 4.0 initiative, aimed at improving its overall retail efficiency, loss prevention and service levels.

“We are always looking for ways to provide our customers with a richer, more complete shopping experience and to increase and improve the efficiency of our outlets,” says Hans Hoegstedt, CEO of Miroglio Fashion. “Here, the introduction of RFID is of key importance to us.”

Nedap’s ceiling-mounted iD Top is installed at store exits, to identify any unpaid item leaving the store. When an RFID label is read by the iD Top, data is shared directly with the TMR Core platform. The solution utilizes advanced beam steering technology, which enables reliable label detection, is a unique feature that makes the iD Top especially suited for loss prevention purposes.

Separately, Spanish fashion retailer Brownie has turned to RFID to gain a better grasp on inventory accuracy while enabling omnichannel retail strategies. Brownie deployed RFID to all of its locations during May and June. Brownie deployed Nedap’s RFID software solution called !D Cloud.

“The implementation of Nedap’s RFID software is the first step in our digitalization process,” says Albert Puyol, CEO at Brownie. “This technology gives us the stock accuracy level that we need to be a real omnichannel player. Using !D Cloud, we have more insight in our operations than ever before. We now know the product availability and stock depth for each store and even per location within each store.”

Analyzing the data collected by RFID tags enables detailed insights into the actual stock levels and makes it possible to connect the stock of physical stores with the retailer’s online platforms and offer services like Click & Collect. During the pre-rollout in three stores, Brownie evaluated the user-friendliness and effectiveness of the solution.

“We now have an RFID solution that not only gives us a better stock accuracy, but is also easy to use for our store staff. This significantly increases its effectiveness,” says Puyol.

All items are source tagged, with an RFID label on the hangtag. In the stores, staff members perform a weekly cycle count using an RFID handheld reader and the !D Cloud app on a mobile device. !D Cloud then translates the collected data into comprehensive lists that highlight the differences between Brownie’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and the RFID count. Consequently, the causes of stock differences, through losses or administrative errors, can be identified and dealt with more quickly.

“With the implementation of !D Cloud, we have access to structured and up-to-date information that allows us to make better decisions and significantly increase our sales,” says Puyol.